By Bob Allen
A Catholic presidential candidate received a prayer of blessing from a Southern Baptist mega-church during a campaign visit to Memphis.
Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., invited GOP hopeful Rick Santorum to the platform for prayer during the church’s 9:20 a.m. worship service March 4.
“Lord, give us the president we need, but Lord we also know that our troubles as a nation are beyond what the White House alone can help us with,” Gaines prayed. He sought God’s forgiveness for sins including racism, abortion and “sins of immorality.”
“God, we pray that you would have your hand upon this nation and draw us back to you.”
Describing the opportunity to the 11 a.m. service, Gaines said the church is not Democratic, Republican or Independent. “We didn’t pray that he would win,” Gaines told the congregation. “We just prayed that God’s will be done.”